Baccarat online
For a long time baccarat wasn’t as accessible as other games. In addition to this it was often considered a game made for high rollers rather than budget players. Nowadays though, the game is much more accessible due to baccarat casino games being available online. In addition to this, the game now has a wider betting limit so that more players can enjoy this simple, yet fun, game. Played at pace, baccarat is a great option for players with little time or who want to get in a couple of quick rounds. Similar in style to blackjack, there is more luck involved, although you’ll need some skill too. The game is also easy to learn, making it perfect for new and old players alike. But this does mean that there are fewer actual strategies that can help players get ahead.
- Possible to score big wins
- Easy to learn
- Quick wins
How to play baccarat online
Like blackjack, baccarat is played just between the player and the dealer. Usually this game is played using six or eight decks with the game beginning when two hands are dealt – one to the player, the other to the dealer. Once the hands are dealt, the player can look at their hand to see whether they can win the round. At this juncture, players can pick whether to bet on their own hand or that of the dealer’s with regards to whose hand will win. Cards each have their own value, which players need to use to try and score a total hand value of 9. Those cards with numbers on will be valued at that face number, except for the 10 which is worth zero. Similarly, the face cards are also worth zero. The ace is worth one but not also 11 as it is in blackjack. If the hand value is a two-digit number, then only the second number is used as the value.
Baccarat online strategy
Winning margins can be narrow in baccarat so this means players will be required to understand all the rules in detail. By knowing all the specifics, players will be able to make the right action when it comes to playing their cards, making sure that they can aim for a win. However, a key aspect to understand is that no matter what, the tie bet in baccarat should never be taken. It offers the best odds, but don’t be fooled, this is because it essentially never wins and is almost always a guaranteed wasted bet.
The odds of winning at baccarat online
One of the things with baccarat is that depending on the bet placed by the player, the odds of the game will change. Generally, baccarat has one of the lower house edges, but again, the bet you take does affect this. In the previously discussed tie bet, there’s a house edge of 14.36%, which is huge, and if you hadn’t believed before, an indication of why this shouldn’t be taken. Placing a wager on the player’s hand does give a much better house edge of just 1.24%. However, for the best option, then betting on the banker’s hand is the way to go. This bet has the lowest house edge of the three betting options sitting at an impressively low 1.06%. For the most part, this is the strategy employed by any baccarat player and well worth it for Indian players to test out.
Baccarat online dictionary – get to know the lingo
As with all games there are some words that are good to know before diving into play. A ‘natural’ is the word used for a hand that has the exact nine points needed for a win. It has to be the cards acquired in the first deal to count though, and cannot have had any other cards added to it. Players with a natural, or ‘Le Grand’ for French speakers, won’t need to request any other cards, they’ve already won. Baccarat may be the name of the game, but it’s also the word used for the worst hand in a game. The pile of cards discarded throughout the game is called the ‘muck’. It also includes the cards that have been folded from players’ hands. Finally, ‘folding’ refers to players deciding that their cards are not able to reach the desired value and opting to simply drop out of the game.
Variations of baccarat online
There are three main versions of baccarat. The one most commonly found online is Punto Banco. Played with 8 decks of cards, there’s a set dealer and the players all come and join the table. It’s also often just called Baccarat when found in online casinos. Chemin de Fer is the French version where only six decks are used in any game. All the players take turns to be the banker, with all the cards placed face down instead of upwards as is the case in Punto Banco. The final version is Baccarat Banque where one of the players takes the role of dealer for the entire game, there is no swapping. Like Chemin de Fer, there are also fewer decks used.
Good to know – things to consider when playing baccarat online
The main thing to remember when it comes to baccarat is to avoid the tie bet. In addition to this, there’s an important aspect to note in that most baccarat games will have commission attached. This is attached to the banker’s bet and is generally 5%. This means that players don’t receive their full reward when winning with this bet. But there’s some good news. Indian players can find no commission baccarat games, so it’s a good idea to have a look around at what each casino offers as this can save players a fair bit of their profit. New players should also look for games with fewer decks in play. While one deck games are the ideal, and offer the best odds of winning, these are rarely found, so players might have to settle for six deck games.